Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and its members constantly look for ways to build long-term reliability and lower costs. On April 1, 2026, Tri-State will take an important step toward these goals by joining the western expansion of the Southwest Power Pool Regional Transmission Organization (SPP RTO West). This move will provide better value, greater reliability and long-term savings to our members and the communities they serve.
Regional transmission organizations, or RTOs, are independent, non-profit organizations that coordinate how electricity moves across large, multistate regions. By operating a shared transmission system and competitive energy markets, RTOs help utilities work together instead of operating in isolation. That cooperation leads to more efficient planning, more reliable service and lower overall costs—benefits that ultimately flow to consumers.
Efforts to expand an RTO into the region have been underway for more than a decade. Six other Western energy services providers have worked alongside us to shape a regional approach that works for the West, including Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Colorado Springs Utilities, Deseret Power Electric Cooperative, the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, Platte River Power Authority, and collectively three regions of the Western Area Power Administration. Together, we have focused on what best serves our members and the customers who rely on us every day.
As these benefits are realized, more utilities are likely to join, expanding the footprint and further increasing savings and reliability across the region. By joining SPP’s Western expansion early, Tri-State and its members have a seat at the table from the start, helping shape how energy markets evolve in the West in ways that benefit our communities. Cost savings are a major benefit. An RTO helps utilities buy the lowest-cost power available, while maintaining reliability, and easing congestion between different transmission systems.
In December 2025, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved Tri-State’s Organized Wholesale Market application, concluding that expanded participation in the SPP RTO West is in the public interest. The commission recognized that joining a full RTO is the best path forward for the region, because it strengthens reliability, improves resilience, and delivers meaningful economic benefits. This was backed by a 2021 Colorado Public Utilities Commission study that estimated participation in an RTO could save Colorado consumers an average of $2.2 billion through 2040, about $230 million per year.
For Tri-State members and those joining the SPP RTO West, this is about building a more efficient, resilient and affordable energy future—one that delivers real value today and positions our communities well for decades to come. Please join us in celebrating this huge milestone that will benefit consumers across the West.
—Duane Highley is CEO of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association.
